Lorena tax election

Articles about the Lorena school district’s need for a tax ratification election that could increase taxes to fund a budgetary shortfall have not addressed the cause of the current situation.

When was it first known that the district had financial concerns? What measures were taken at that time to avert financial difficulties? What assurances can the school administration and school board make that similar circumstances are not repeated? And is it true that the superintendent received a raise during this financial crisis at the same time teachers were losing their jobs?

Articles indicated that community meetings were not well attended. It was also indicated that fliers, e-mails, websites and blogs were made available. Were these made available to all taxpayers or just to parents of current students?

Better communication would enable voters to make more informed decisions.

Greg and Jerry McEwen

Lorena

Residency questions

Karen Petree’s Sept. 2 column, “Republicans thumb nose at law in Birdwell case,” about state Sen. Brian Birdwell’s residency issues, made me wonder what her opinion is about our president’s residency issues?

That issue continues to be swept under the rug, and if the concerns are true that President Barack Obama was born in Kenya, then that violates our Constitution. If the concerns are false, it should be easy for the Democratic Party to provide a birth certificate to prove otherwise.

Because those issues weren’t properly addressed before Obama was placed on the ballot, we are now in the position of trying to play catch-up on determining his eligibility.

Does this sound familiar?

Why are these concerns unimportant while concerns about congressional candidate Birdwell seem extremely important to some?

D.K. Jessup

Eddy

Restoring Honor rally

Glenn Beck’s Aug. 28 Restoring Honor rally at the Lincoln Memorial on the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech was a travesty. Beck isn’t about inclusion. His daily tirades are hate-filled against Muslims, the poor, our first black president, Hispanics, liberal churches and social justice.

Beck distorts truth to appeal to the religious right and flag-waving “patriots.” Beck is no Martin Luther King.

Meg Hillert

Dallas

Red and blue states

Anyone living in the last decade will recognize that media “talking heads” have established red states for Republicans and blue states for Democrats. 

But Republican Gov. Rick Perry has posted blue yards signs, while his Democratic challenger, Bill White, has posted red yard signs. Didn’t either of them get the memo?

Tom Pappas

Salado

Bias allegations

I agree with Sammy McLarty’s Sept. 2 letter — the Trib is biased toward Democrats, based on the stories and letters printed. I was hoping for better when the ownership changed. Maybe there needs to be a change in the leadership, as well?

Norman Nossaman

Waco